Management and Surveillance of Disease Vectors in the Republic of Korea
Article information
As management measures for vector borne diseases, vector surveillance system and vector control system are created with management of infectious diseases such as malaria, Japanese encephalitis and scrub typhus.
Surveillance for disease vectors
Malaria vector surveillance is conducted by collecting from 16 sites around malaria risk areas where the disease occurs. The seasonal population density of vector mosquitoes and infection rate of Plasmodium are conducted. Japanese encephalitis vector surveillance is the oldest vector surveillance system in Korea. It is currently being conducted at 39 sites nationwide, and it provides the precautionary attention at first appearance date and the alarm based on the number and rate of vector species. To monitor vectors that could be coming from overseas, various vectors (mosquitoes, cockroaches, rodents etc) are collected at the National Quarantine Station (19 sites) located at harbors and airports. And in 2009, to effectively cope with climate change, 3 vector surveillance centers were established in Honam, Yeongnam and Jeju areas. Researchers in each center were educated on how to perform this project, and monitoring of vector mosquitoes and mites for West Nile virus (WNV), JE virus and O. tsutsugamushi is carried out.
Performance of national vector control and surveillance
To construct and strengthen standard laboratory system for disease vector control, supervision for renovating vector control methods under field condition, national monitoring on pesticide susceptibility and resistance of disease vector mosquitoes, issue of guideline and manual for vector control and management, national advisory committee for effective vector control were carried out. The education and manual provide background information that help workers to identify the vectors species, understand the vector ecology and apply the appropriate control measures. Practical information is given on a variety of control measures.
Construction of Vector-Net system
There is need to establish a comprehensive surveillance and management system (Vector-Net) on vector borne diseases that could efficiently respond to diseases from climate and environmental change by drawing up pest control strategies. This system is a united vector borne disease control that being connected vectors and patients surveillance, pathogen diagnosis, geographic information, regional customized eco-friendly vector control with infectious disease vector.